Divot Tool with Adjustable Leg Extension

ABSTRACT

A golf ball mark repair tool used to repair ball marks on golf course grass is provided with a pair of longitudinal legs that can be extended longitudinally and held to project a selected distance from the tool casing. The tool of the invention is held in one hand by the user and operated by the thumb of that same hand. The tool includes an internal detent mechanism that allows the legs to be extended and held at a selected length appropriate for repairing the particular ball mark to be repaired. The length of extension is controlled by a slide actuator operated by forward pressure applied by the thumb of the user. A spring loaded pushbutton mechanism, also operated by the user&#39;s thumb, allows a slide retraction spring to draw the slide, including the legs, back into the casing of the tool when repair of the ball mark has been completed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/011,316 filed Jan. 15, 2008.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a divot tool useful for repairing marks in greens and fairways on a golf course following a golf stroke.

BACKGROUND

U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,621 describes a belt clip divot repair tool which changed the way golfers around the world repaired marks on golf greens and fairways following a golf stroke. This patent was invented by the inventor of the present invention, who has also invented numerous golf divot repair tools. Different tools work better on different types of golf greens. Some of these prior divot tools are described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,305,999; 5,295,683; 6,050,905; and 6,176,792.

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, the Director of the United States Golf Association Greens Section has confirmed that many ball mark variations occur when golf balls impact golf greens. Ball marks come in all sizes and shapes ranging from those where the balls skids off hard greens leaving a slight mark, to those where there is more of a “splash” such that the force causes the ball to leave a deeper mark. The USGA Greens Section Director concluded that deeper marks require a tool that can go deeper into the ground in order to properly repair a ball mark. Furthermore, there are three different types of grasses typically used on golf greens. These are bent, Bermuda and poa annua. Each of these grass types react differently to a golf ball landing on it. These differences in grass reactions to ball impacts complicate repair of golf greens.

The reason for ball mark variations is due to a combination of trajectory, velocity, and spin rotation. If a wood or long iron is used for the golf shot coming onto the green, the ball strikes the green at lower angles with minimum spin leaving only a slight ball mark. On the other hand, if a short iron is used, the ball impacts the green with a much higher trajectory and with maximum spin rotation, thereby leaving a much deeper ball mark.

Through the study of agronomy it has been determined that when a ball mark is fixed immediately the grass will repair itself in twenty-four hours. On the other hand, a ball mark left open will increase in the same period and will take days and sometimes weeks to repair.

Large ruptured ball marks are best prepared by discarding the torn grass and bringing the grass adjacent to the scar together in a push motion at the outer edges of the ball mark. High velocity bumps in the green should be lifted slightly and pushed flat. Ball marks should be tapped lightly with a putter following repair.

Whether it is replacing a fairway divot, raking a sand trap, or repairing a ball mark on a golf green, the tradition of the game of golf is for each golfer to leave the course better than the golfer found it.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a ball mark repair tool which can be adjusted to repair each different type of ball mark likely to be encountered. The tool of the invention includes a casing that holds a slide element ending in a pair of legs. The slide element can be adjusted with the thumb so that the legs can be pushed into a plurality of distinct positions in which the legs project a predetermined distance from the case. The tool employs a reverse spring action which allows the user to retract the legs back into the tool casing before returning the tool to the player's pocket.

Preferably, the tool provides three distinct leg projection adjustment positions. These may be considered to be short, medium, and long positions in which the legs project a short, medium, or long distance from the case. The convenient adjustment of the leg position allows for easy repair of all variations of ball mark sizes, as well as the ball mark variations that occur in the three types of golf green grass most widely utilized.

In one broad aspect the present invention may be considered to be a ball mark repair tool comprised of a hollow casing, a slide having a fork and forming a pair of legs and mounted for reciprocal movement within the casing, a latching mechanism for selectively latching the slide at a plurality of different leg extension positions so that the legs extend different selected distances beyond the casing, a mechanism for advancing the slide, a slide spring tending to retract the slide into the casing, and a latch release mechanism that allows the slide spring to withdraw the slide into the casing.

The invention may be described with greater clarity and particularity by reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the tool with the slide shown retracted into the casing.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the tool with the slide operated and detent mechanism actuated so that the legs extend and are held a short distance beyond the casing.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the tool with the slide operated and detent mechanism actuated so that the legs extend and are held a medium distance beyond the casing.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the tool with the slide operated and detent mechanism actuated so that the legs extend and are held a long distance beyond the casing.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the inside of the upper portion of the casing, shown in isolation, showing the interior surface thereof.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the inside of the lower portion of the casing, shown in isolation, showing the interior surface thereof.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the slide, shown in isolation.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the slide, shown in isolation.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a detent spring and support assembly, shown in isolation.

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of a detent spring and support assembly, shown in isolation.

FIG. 11 is a side sectional, elevational view of the tool taken along the lines 11-11 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 12 is a side sectional, elevational, exploded view of the tool shown in FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates the tool 10 of the invention with the slide 12 (shown in FIGS. 7, 8, 11, and 12) retracted into the tool casing 14. The tool 10 is normally carried in the user's pocket in the retracted position illustrated in FIG. 1, so that the legs 46 of the tool cannot cause injury or discomfort and do not snag on other articles in the user's possession. The slide 12 is operated by means of a slide actuator 16 and released for retraction by a slide retraction spring 18 (shown in FIGS. 11 and 12) with a latch release pushbutton mechanism 20.

As best shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 12, the hollow casing 14 is formed of a longitudinally elongated, upper casing shell portion 22 and a longitudinally elongated, lower casing shell portion 24. The casing shell portions 22 and 24 both define mating, mutually contacting edges 26 at their peripheries. The casing shell portions 22 and 24 are closed at their rear ends 25 and meet at their edges 26 throughout the periphery of the casing 14 at the demarcation between the casing shell portions 22 and 24, except at the casing shell front ends 28. The front ends 28 are open and define an open mouth at the front of the casing 14. Positioning registration pins 30 protrude outwardly from the flat edges 26 of the upper shell portion 22 and are received in positioning pin wells 32 in the mating, flat edge surface 26 of the lower shell portion 24.

Both of the casing shell portions 22 and 24 form interior, concave surfaces within the confines of their respective edges 26. A narrow, longitudinal, elongated slot 34 is defined in the central region of the top of the upper casing shell portion 22, and an aperture 36 is defined in the top of the upper casing shell portion 22 between the slot 34 and the open mouth of the casing 14. A slide spring retaining post 38 projects downwardly from the underside of the interior roof of the upper shell casing portion 22 at the rear end 25 thereof toward the lower shell casing portion 24.

A corresponding slide spring retaining post 38 projects upwardly from the floor of the lower casing shell portion 24 at the rear end 25 thereof in coaxial alignment with the slide spring retaining post 38 of the upper shell casing portion 22. When the upper and lower shell portions 22 and 24 are closed together to form the casing 14, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1-4, the spring retaining posts 38 meet to form a slide spring anchoring column.

The casing 14 is preferably formed with a disc-shaped ball marker tray 31 having a floor with a steel wafer 33 permanently secured thereto, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The tray 31 is of a size designed to receive a removable magnetic ball marker 35 of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,088, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,088 is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

A pair of flat, elongated, upwardly facing, longitudinally extending guide ledges 40 are defined in the lower casing shell portion 24 forward of the rear end 25 and are recessed below the level of the edge 26 thereof. A pair of detent spring supports 42 and 44 is located forwardly from the pair of guide ledges 40. The detent spring supports 42 and 44 are spaced longitudinally from each other. The detent spring supports 42 and 44 extend transversely across the interior of the lower casing shell portion 24, also recessed beneath the level of the edge 26 thereof.

The slide 12 is a generally flat, longitudinally elongated structure that is forked at its forward longitudinal, outboard end to define a pair of longitudinally extending legs 46. At its opposite, rear longitudinal, inboard end 48 the slide 12 forms a spring hook aperture 50. The slide 12 is shorter in length and narrower in width than the casing 14.

A narrow, longitudinally elongated slot 52 is defined through the flat structure of the slide 12 at the forward end thereof to the rear of the forked legs 46. A downwardly projecting detent catch tooth 54 having an inclined forward face and a rearwardly facing bearing face 56 perpendicular to the flat undersurface of the slide 12 is permanently attached to the slide 12 just to the rear of the slot 52.

A generally flat, longitudinally aligned, rigid, detent tooth support rack 60 and a longer, elongated leaf spring 65 are located beneath the slide 12. The respective rearward and forward ends 62 and 64 of the detent leaf spring 65 are supported upon the transverse detent supports 42 and 44, respectively, so that the detent leaf spring 65 is normally supported in spaced separation from contact with the floor of the lower shell casing portion 24. The detent leaf spring 65 is nested atop the detent supports 42 and 44 and cradled above the hollow space within the lower shell portion 24 within the lateral confines of its edge 26. The detent tooth support rack 60 is secured to the top of the central portion of the detent leaf spring 65, parallel to the slide 12.

A plurality of detent teeth 66, 68, and 70 are permanently secured to the upper surface of the stiff, detent support 60. The detent teeth 66, 68, and 70 are shaped identical to each other and have rearwardly inclined surfaces and forwardly facing bearing surfaces 72 that are normal to the plane of the upper surface of the detent support 60. The detent support 60 is also provided with an upwardly projecting detent spring depression post 74 located forwardly of the front detent tooth 70.

The release pushbutton mechanism 20 is comprised of a plunger element 76 having a generally T-shaped cross section, a coiled plunger retraction spring 78 bearing upwardly against the undersurface of the top control of the plunger element 76 and against the outer, upper surface of the upper shell casing portion 22, and a base 80 located within the casing 14, just beneath the undersurface of the upper shell casing portion 22. The release pushbutton mechanism 20 is best illustrated in the exploded view of FIG. 12. The plunger element 76 has a disc-shaped, depressible, pushbutton top with a narrower, cylindrical shaft depending coaxially therefrom. When the latch release pushbutton mechanism 20 is assembled the plunger retraction spring 78 is disposed coaxially about the plunger shaft lightly compressed between the top of the plunger element 76 and the upper surface of the upper shell casing portion 22. Therefore, the top of the plunger element 76 is normally biased upwardly, away from the casing 14. The base 80 is firmly and permanently secured to the bottom of the shaft of the plunger 76, so that the pushbutton base 80 is normally drawn upwardly against the underside of the interior surface of the upper casing shell portion 22 and away from contact with the detent spring depression post 74.

The slide retraction spring 18 is a coil spring longitudinally aligned within the casing 14 between the rear ends 25 of the casing shell portions 22 and 24. The slide retraction spring 18 has hooks at both of its ends. The rear hook is secured about the spring anchoring column formed by the mutually abutting spring retaining posts 38, while the front hook of the spring 18 is looped through the spring hook aperture 50 at the rear end 48 of the slide 12. The slide retraction spring 18 is stretched slightly in tension when the slide 12 is fully retracted within the casing 14, as shown in FIG. 1. As the slide 12 is moved forward so that the legs 46 project further from the open mouth of the casing 14, the slide retraction spring 18 is stretched, thereby exerting a greater retraction force at each incremental leg extension position of the slide 12 relative to the casing 14.

Advancement of the slide 12 is controlled by a longitudinally elongated slide actuator 16 that is disposed atop the upper surface of the upper casing shell portion 22. The slide actuator 16 serves as a slide advancement mechanism. The slide actuator 16 has an elongated body with a pair of longitudinally aligned slide engagement posts 84 that depend from the bottom surface of the body of the slide actuator 16. The slide engagement posts 84 extend through the slot 34 in the upper casing shell portion 22 and fit into corresponding sockets 86 defined in the upper surface of the slide 12. The sockets 86 are visible in FIGS. 8 and 12.

The slide actuator 16 can thereby be operated by the thumb of the user to move the slide 12 from one detent position to the next, since the slide engagement posts 84 carry the slide 12 in longitudinal movement with the slide actuator 16.

When the ball mark repair tool 10 is not in use the slide 12 is in the fully retracted position and the slide actuator 16 is pulled with it to the rear position on the top of the casing 14, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The legs 46 of the slide 12 are thereby retracted within the confines of the casing 14 as shown in FIG. 1.

If the user desires to repair a ball mark that requires only minimal penetration of the legs 46, the user holds the casing 14 in the palm of one hand with the open mouth of the casing 14 pointed away from the user's body and toward the ball mark to be repaired. With the thumb of the same hand on the slide actuator 16, the user pushes the slide actuator 16 forwardly from the position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 2, overpowering the bias of the slide retraction spring 18. The slide actuator 16 carries the slide 12 forwardly within the casing 14 so that the inclined surfaces of the detent teeth 54 and 66 slide past each other as the slide 12 is advanced forwardly. The leaf spring 65 is flexible enough so that its ends bow downwardly into the cavity formed between the supports 42 and 44 while the detent support 60 remains in flat, horizontal alignment to permit the detent catch tooth 54 on the bottom of the slide 12 to clear the rear detent tooth 66 on the top of the detent support 60.

As the apex of the depending detent catch tooth 54 clears the apex of the upwardly projecting detent tooth 66, the downward force on the leaf spring 65 is relieved, whereupon the leaf spring 65 snaps resiliently back up into a flat, horizontal alignment. When this occurs the bearing faces 56 and 72 of the detent catch tooth 54 and the detent tooth 66 engage each other, thus latching the legs 46 in the short position. Although the slide retraction spring 18 tends to urge the slide 12 rearwardly within the casing 14, it cannot do so due to the engagement of the detent teeth 54 and 56. The slide 12 will therefore remain latched with the legs 46 projecting a short distance out of the casing 14, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Preferably, the legs 46 project a distance of about three-eighths of an inch from the forward extremity of the casing 14 with the slide 12 in the first detent position illustrated in FIG. 2.

If a greater extension of the legs 46 from the casing 14 is required, the slide actuator is advanced to the second detent position illustrated in FIG. 3. As the user pushes the slide actuator 16 forwardly from the first detent position shown in FIG. 2 to the second detent position shown in FIG. 3, the depending slide detent catch tooth 54 is pushed past the second leaf spring tooth 68, again bowing the leaf spring ends 62 and 64 and deflecting the central region of the leaf spring 65 and the detent support 60 downwardly into the cavity between the supports 42 and 44 until the slide detent catch tooth 54 clears the second spring detent tooth 68. At this point the leaf spring 65 again springs back upwardly as the detent catch tooth 54 clears the detent tooth 68, thereby bringing the bearing faces 56 and 72 into mutual abutment. Although the slide retraction spring 18 continues to exert a rearward pull on the slide 12, the legs 46 will remain latched even when forced into the turf due to the interengagement of the detent teeth 54 and 68. Preferably, the legs 46 project a distance of about three-fourths of an inch from the forward extremity of the casing 14 with the slide 12 in the second detent position illustrated in FIG. 3.

When full extension of the legs 46 from the casing 14 is appropriate, the slide actuator 16 is moved to its full forward position from the position of FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 4. The depending slide detent catch tooth 54 deflects the detent support 60 and the central portion of the leaf spring 65 downwardly until it clears the forward spring detent tooth 70. At this point the leaf spring 65 springs back upwardly with the bearing faces 56 and 72 of the detent teeth 54 and 70 residing in mutual abutment. The legs 46 are thereupon fully extended from the casing 14 to the long position, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The latched engagement of the detent teeth 54 and 70 holds the legs 46 extended from the casing 14 despite the retraction force exerted by the slide retraction spring 18 and despite rearward force exerted on the legs 46. Preferably, the legs 46 project a distance of about one and one-eighth inches from the forward extremity of the casing 14 with the slide 12 in the third detent position illustrated in FIG. 4.

Once the tool 10 has been utilized to repair a ball mark with the legs 46 extended to the position of either FIG. 2, FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, the slide 12 is retracted back into the casing 14 by operation of the latch release pushbutton retraction mechanism 20. That is, after use the slide actuator 16 is moved to its extreme forward position as shown in FIG. 4. This brings the latch release pushbutton mechanism 20 into alignment with the detent spring depression post 74. The plunger 76 of the latch release pushbutton mechanism 20 is then depressed downwardly toward the surface of the upper shell portion 22. The plunger shaft pushes the pushbutton mechanism base 80 downwardly, away from the undersurface of the inside of the upper shell portion 22. The base portion 80 is pushed through the slot 52 downwardly against the upwardly projecting detent spring depression post 74. The downward force on the latch release pushbutton mechanism 20 thereby resiliently deflects the central portion of leaf spring 65 between the rearward and forward ends 62 and 64 thereof into the cavity beneath the slide 12. This depressing force pushes all of the upwardly projecting spring detent teeth 66, 68, and 70 out of longitudinal alignment with the depending slide detent catch tooth 54. The slide retraction spring 18, which is under longitudinal tension, thereby quickly retracts the slide 12 back into the casing 14 so that the tool 10 is then again in the leg retracted condition illustrated in FIG. 1.

Undoubtedly, numerous variations and modifications of the invention will become readily apparent to those familiar with golf ball mark repair tools. For example, the casing does not necessarily have to be elongated, but can be more disc-shaped. The slide advancement mechanism does not have to be linear, but can employ a rack and pinion or meshed gears that drive the slide in linear motion. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be construed as limited to the specific embodiment described and depicted in the drawings. 

1. A golf ball mark repair tool comprising: a longitudinally elongated casing having a front end with a mouth defined therein and an opposite, closed rear end, a slide having a forward, forked end with a plurality of legs defined thereon and an opposite rear end, and said slide is mounted in said casing for linear receptacle movement relative thereto, and a slide movement control mechanism operable externally on said casing for pushing said slide longitudinally relative to said casing so that said slide is alternatively latched with said legs projecting different predetermined distances from said mouth of said casing.
 2. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 1 wherein said slide movement control mechanism includes longitudinal constraints that limit movement of said slide between a withdrawn position in which said slide resides fully retracted within said casing and a fully extended position in which said legs protrude through said mouth and are fully extended longitudinally beyond said front end of said casing, and a latching mechanism for alternatively immobilizing said slide longitudinally relative to said casing at said fully extended position and in at least one intermediate position between said fully extended and said withdrawn positions in which only portions of said legs protrude from said mouth of said casing.
 3. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 2 further comprising: a release mechanism with a control located externally on said casing for releasing said latching mechanism, and a retraction spring urging said slide toward said rear end of said casing.
 4. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 3 wherein said latching mechanism is comprised of a catch tooth located on said slide and projecting therefrom, a detent tooth support rack having a plurality of detent teeth facing said slide, and a detent engagement spring urging said rack toward said slide so that said catch tooth engages the nearest of said detent teeth that is located between said catch tooth and said rear end of said casing, and said release mechanism is comprised of a plunger reciprocally mounted to said casing and projecting toward said rack to push said rack away from said slide to allow said retraction spring to draw said slide toward said rear end of said casing.
 5. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 4 wherein said plunger is provided with a plunger retraction spring urging said plunger away from said rack.
 6. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 4 wherein said slide is provided with a longitudinally elongated slot and said plunger has a shaft that is engageable with said rack through said longitudinally elongated slot in said slide.
 7. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 6 wherein said detent engagement spring is a longitudinally oriented leaf spring having ends longitudinally constrained within said casing and oriented so as to push said rack toward said slide in a direction perpendicular to movement of said slide relative to said casing.
 8. A golf ball mark repair tool comprising: a longitudinally elongated casing having a forward end with a mouth defined therein and an opposite, closed rear end, a longitudinal slide mounted in said casing and having a forward, forked end with a plurality of legs thereon and an opposite rear end, whereby said slide is reciprocally movable in a longitudinal, linear direction relative to said casing between a withdrawn position in which said slide resides within the confines of said casing and extended positions in which said legs of said fork project from said mouth of said casing, and a latching mechanism for holding said slide alternatively in a plurality of different leg extension positions in which said legs extend different selected distances beyond said front end of said casing.
 9. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 8 wherein said latching mechanism includes a detent mechanism for latching said slide in a fully extended position, and at least one partially extended position in which only portions of said fork legs protrude from said mouth of said casing, a latch release having a control operable externally on said casing for disengaging said detent mechanism to allow rearward, longitudinal, linear movement of said slide in said linear direction relative to said casing, and a slide retraction spring that biases said slide toward said withdrawn position.
 10. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 9 wherein said latch release further comprises a plunger with a plunger top located externally on said casing and a plunger shaft projecting into said casing and said plunger top is depressible toward said casing whereupon said plunger shaft disengages said detent mechanism.
 11. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 10 wherein said detent mechanism is further comprised of a catch tooth located on said slide and projecting therefrom perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, a flat detent tooth support oriented parallel to said slide and having a plurality of detent teeth facing said slide, and a detent engagement spring urging said detent tooth support toward said slide so that said catch tooth engages the most proximate of said detent teeth located between said catch and said rear end of said casing, and said plunger is operable to push said detent tooth support away from said slide to thereupon disengage said catch tooth from all of said detent teeth, thereby allowing said slide retraction spring to draw said slide toward said rear end of said casing.
 12. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 11 wherein said plunger is provided with a plunger retraction spring urging said plunger away from said detent tooth support.
 13. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 8 wherein a ball marker tray having a floor with a ferrous wafer secured thereto is formed on said casing, and further comprising a magnetic ball marker that seats in said tray and is removable therefrom.
 14. A golf ball mark repair tool according to claim 8 further comprising a slide actuator located externally on said casing and coupled to said slide to advance said slide to said plurality of different leg extension positions.
 15. A golf ball mark repair tool comprising: an elongated casing having a closed rear end and an opposite front and with a mouth formed therein, an elongated slide shorter in length and narrower in width than said casing and having longitudinal inboard and outboard ends with a fork having a plurality of legs at said outboard end and mounted in said casing for longitudinal, reciprocal movement relative thereto, a slide advancement mechanism mounted externally upon said casing and engageable with said slide to advance said slide from a longitudinally retracted position wherein said slide is fully withdrawn entirely into said casing and a fully advanced position in which said fork is fully extended through said mouth of said casing, a detent mechanism within said casing for latching said slide relative to said casing at said fully advanced position, and at least one intermediate position between said fully advanced and said retracted positions, and for alternatively engaging said slide in a selected one of said fully advanced and intermediate positions, and a slide retraction spring within said casing that urges said slide toward said retracted position. 